Another Day of the Run-Arounds
I'll assume partial fault, because I didn't really ask enough to get a clear answer from the flaky manager, but today's starting date wasn't so much a start as it was my third interview for a part-time job at the Gap. I feel like I need national security clearance to hawk denim. So I met with another manager today, she was another cool girl and we definitely hit it off. She needs to verify the references, but I assume that I'll start working after I get back into town because she acknowledged that things were going well, was impressed by my employment history, and asked me to come for an orientation on Thursday. This feels excessive though...
My trip to Madison is starting to take shape: I have a list of classes I have the option of attending and I've shared some fun emails with the guy who will be hosting me for the weekend. He told me that people in Madison usually sign leases for August in January, so he advised that I spend some time looking and potentially sign a lease while there. I've looked at some ads and there doesn't seem to be a housing shortage. At the same time, it is always hard to pick an apartment in a new area when you don't know what location really suits you yet or, this being my first apartment, what really matters to me when push comes to shove (things like laundry, dishwasher, square footage vs. price). I feel sufficiently overwhelmed. I printed out some ads of people seeking roommates and maybe I can set up some appointments on Saturday, if nothing else, maybe I can get some phone numbers and have a solid start. Or, hopefully someone in the department who seems livable will extend an offer or something... eh, but what a mess it is to find your first apartment in an unknown place filled with unknown people. I'll keep you posted, but I don't really feel ready enough to make up my mind about anything yet, it is all too new, so I'll consider this trip browsing time. He also told me that leases begin on August 15th, so maybe I'll be spending my birthday en route, somewhere near Ohio or something... This just feels like a ton of bricks right now - to go from no responsibility no activity here to having to learn about a new school, a new
kind of school, all new faces, new geography, and to apartment shop for the first time ever... all over four days.
Meanwhile, still no word from NYU and by national charter of grad schools, you are obligated to accept an offer by 4/15. I guess they are midnight oil kind of people.
posted by lmjasinski at 10:35 PM
